A letter from exchange compliance: how to reply and what not to write
Your first reply to a compliance officer weighs more than all subsequent ones: contradictions between versions are the top cause of drawn-out refusals. Here is the anatomy of a reply a case officer can simply take and close in your favor.
What they actually want from you
Point-by-point answers
A compliance letter is a checklist. Your reply must mirror its structure: each question — a separate item with an answer and an annex.
Consistency
Your reply is compared against the KYC profile, ticket history and the transaction engine's data. Discrepancies read as deception.
Documents, not assurances
"I am an honest person" weighs nothing. A statement with a date and amount does.
What to do — step by step
- Read the letter twice and write out every question as a separate line — requests often pack 2-3 questions into one sentence.
- Collect a document for every item BEFORE writing the reply text.
- Write structured: question quote → short answer → reference to a numbered annex.
- Re-read for contradictions with everything you already wrote the exchange — including old support tickets.
- Keep a copy of the reply and all annexes: the next rounds will reference this package.
An open ready-to-fill template for this situation: Compliance reply template →
What NOT to do
- Do not write emotional walls of text or threaten "lawyers and court" in the first reply — a problem-client marker, not an argument.
- Do not reply in parts ("I'll send the rest later") — after every addition the case returns to the back of the queue.
- Do not embellish even small things: the engine sees your transactions better than you remember them.
What Onyx does in your case
- Forensic report on your addresses (Chainalysis/TRM class): what exactly triggered the flag and your real distance from the risk cluster.
- Source of Funds dossier — a chronological reconstruction of your capital with documents, in the format compliance actually reads.
- Communication with the platform's compliance or your bank — one verified position instead of ticket chaos.
Frequently asked questions
How much time is given to reply?
Usually 7–30 days, stated in the letter. If documents are missing — request an extension in writing BEFORE the deadline: a normal, respected practice.
Reply myself or with a specialist?
A simple single KYC request — fine on your own. An AML flag, large amounts, a P2P complaint — the cost of an error in the first reply is too high: a recorded version cannot be rewritten.
I already replied chaotically. Now what?
Do not breed new versions. Systematize once: one structured addendum that consolidates the previous replies into a single chronology with documents.
Other platforms
Free preliminary case assessment
Describe your situation — we will return an honest assessment: what is realistically possible, how long it takes and what it costs. No "guaranteed unlocks" — they do not exist; compliance decides.